Translucent or clear fabric softening compositions and methods for producing them are well know in the art. Clear fabric softeners can offer many advantages to the consumer including reduced fabric staining potential from dyes, reduced dispenser build-up or residue, increased softness, etc. However, the technical challenges associated with forming stable clear softeners including softening actives which, due to their fatty nature, are only partially water soluble at best, have not all been overcome.
Traditional liquid fabric softeners employ mechanical energy (and electrolytes) to form vesicles of the insoluble softening active into a stable dispersion. However, this technique cannot be employed for translucent or clear softeners due to the cloudy nature of these suspensions.
Clear or translucent softeners historically have generally involved high solvent levels (i.e. greater than about 20%). Despite their high solvent levels, these compositions typically performed poorly and tended to be unstable at lower temperatures, i.e., at about 40° F. (about 4° C.) to about 65° F. (about 18° C.), thickening, solidifying, or forming precipitates or gels. However, recently, compositions comprising lower amounts of specific principal solvents (solvatropes) as described hereinafter, have been disclosed. Although these compositions perform well, the high cost and low supply capacity of certain solvatropes has encumbered the formation of clear, translucent softeners as well as made them unduly costly. Thus, the need has arisen for clear softeners having reduced levels of solvatrope.
Lastly, consumer demand for products having reduced levels of perfume or fragrance ingredients is risen. Many consumers desire scent free or scent reduced products due to a perceived sensitivity by selected individuals to fragrance ingredients. Yet these same consumers desire the benefits which a fabric softener can provide.
To date, clear fabric softening products have had only limited success in providing cost effective (i.e., reduced solvatrope), reduced fragrance, compositions which have acceptable stability and clarity profiles and superior softening capability.
Accordingly, the need remains for the development of a cost effective, low solvatrope level, stable clear fabric softener, especially those having reduced levels of perfume or fragrance ingredients.